Pressure-regulator and cut-off



(No Model.)

' G. WESTINGHOUSE, Jr.

PRESSURE REGULATOR AND GUT-OFF. No. 341,295. PatentedMay 4, 1886.

\N 35 9 7 mus/jg UNrTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE XVESTINGI-IOUSE, JR, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

PRESSURE-REGULATOR AND CUT-OFF.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 341,295, dated May 4, 1886.

Application filed March 13,1886.

1'0 (tZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE WESTINGHOUSE, Jr., residing at Pittsbnrg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, a citizen of the United States, have invented or discovered a certainnew and useful Improvement in Pressure-Regulators and Out-()li s, of which improvement the following is a specifi' cation.

In the accompanying drawings, which make part'of this specification, Figure 1 is a vertical central section, at the line as x of Fig. 2, through a pressure-regulator and cut-off em bodying my invention; Fig. 2, a horizontal section at the line 7 y of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a vertical central section, on an enlarged scale, through the casing of the by-pass valve, and Fig. 4- a face view of the delivery check-plug detached.

' My present invention relates to fluid-press ure regulators of the general type illustrated in Letters Patent of the United States Nos. 312,543 and 324,905, granted and issued to me under date of February 17, 1885, and August 25, 1885, respectively; audits object is to provide an apparatus which may be conveniently connected in the line of the supply-pipe, and which, in the event of a material reduction of the volume of supply, will effect a desired proportionate red notion of delivery-pressure and ure, or to entirely out off the supply should,

the pressure thereof be reduced below that which will support combustion at the burners.

In my Letters Patent above referred to the pressure-chamber is exterior to the line of traverse of fluid from the supply to the delivery pipes, and is supplied with iluid through Serial No. 195,117. (NomodeL) one or more openings leading out or the main channel of supply, andthe constructions. are further of such character as to cut off the supply entirely when its pressure has been materially reduced without providing for supply and regulation at pressures considerably below the maximum average.

Under my present invention I provide for the direct traverse of the entire vol u me of snpplied fluid through the pressurechamber, so that the apparatus may be interposed between two sections of a supply-line and form part thereof, and further render regulation practicable for an average minimum pressure substantially less than, say, one-halfof an average maximum pressure.

The regulating and cut-off valve casing 1 isconneeted at one end by bolts 10 toa flange on the outer end of a supply nozzle or passage, 23, on one side of the prcssnre-chamber 2, and is provided at its opposite end with a couplingpiecc, 21, or a flanged nozzle, for the connection of the supply-pipe. A delivery nozzle or passage, 22, leads out of the opposite side of the pressnre'chamber, and a coupling-section, 25, of any suitable and preferred construction, connected to its outer end, provides for the attachment of a pipe through which fluid at reg ulatcd pressure is delivered to the required points of consumption. A double-beat regulating and cut-oil" valve, 34, c mposed of two disks of substantially equal diameters, is secured upon a stem, 36, the disks of the valve being adapted to seat on opposite sides, respectively, of a partition, 35, extending across the valve-chest 1, and being located at such distance apart upon their stem as to permit, when both are raised equally from their seats, the passage of the maximum quantity of fluid required to be supplied to the delivery-pipe. The stem 36 passes freely, so as to have the capacity of longitudinal movement, through a central guide or socket in a delivery check plug or partition, 45, extending across the in nor end of the valve-casing 1, and having a series of openings or passages, 46, the combined area of which is suflicient toadmit of the delivery of .the desired maximum quantity of fluid to the pressure-chamber 2 and its delivery-nozzle 22.

324,905, the capacity of delivery may be increased or diminished, as required, by open- As in my Letters Patent No.

ing more or less of the passages 46, or by the substitution of a plug having a greater or less delivery area.

In the instance illustrated the apparatus is suitably adapted to operate in connection with a proportional meter of any preferred construction, an instance of which is set forth in my application, Serial No. 148,191, filed November 17 1884. To this end a meter-sup ply nozzle, 58, having a small central passage, 52, the area of which is any desired fraction of the total delivery area, is connected to the valve-casing 1 on the delivery side of the valveseat partition 35, and thearea of the passages through the plug or partition. -15 equals the total delivery area, less the area of said passage. In this case nineteen passages, each equal in area to the passage 52, are formed in the partition 45, and the passage 52 is therefore adapted to deliver one-twentieth of the total volume of supply. A n'ieter-delit'ery nozzle, 54, is formed upon the side of the delivery-passage 22 of the pressure-chamber 2, and a suitable meter may be connected on its receiving and delivery sides, respectively, to the nozzles 53 and 54. The quantity of registered by the meter will consequently be one-twentieth of the quantity passing to the servicepipes, and ameter of correspondinglyreduced dimensions will suffice to effect registration.

Longitudinal movement is imparted to the valve-stem 36 to effect the regulation or the entire closure, as the case may be, of the opening through the partition 35 for the passage of fluid from the supply to the delivery pipes by a movable abutment composed of a flexible diaphragm, 15, extending across the pressure-chamber 2 above its supply and delivery passages, and a pair of weights or pressureplates, 20 47, adapted to exert downward pressure on the diaphragm 15. Said diaphragm is secured at and adjacent to its periphery be tween a flange, 16, extending around the top of the pressurechambcr 2, and a cap or cover, 17, connected by bolts 18 to the flange, and car riesfixed upon its upper side a weight or pressure-plate, 20. The weight 20 is of less diameter than the interior of the chamber 2, and the diaphragm 15 is cupped or dishedthat is to say, made sufficiently large to present a free flexible annular surface between its confined upper portion and the periphery of the weight 20, of proper length to admit of the desired degree of vertical traverse of the weight 20 and attached lower portion of the diaphragm. A stem, 29, upon which is fixed a plate, 30, adapted to bear against the lower side of the diaphragm 15, passes freely through the diaphragm and pressure-plate, and carries upon its upper end a head or stop nut, 41, the stem 29 being caused to follow the movements of the diaphragm and pressureplate within their range under normal pressure bya helical spring, 40, interposed between and bearing against the lower side of the head 41 and the upper side of the weight 20. The

lower end of the stem 29 is coupled to the longer arm of a bell-crank lever, 32, which may be formed of two plates, as shown, the shorter arm of which leveris coupled bya pin, 37, to the end of the stem 36 of the regulating and cut-off valve. The lever 32 is pivoted by a pin, 33, at the junction of its arms to a bearing on the inner face of the delivery cheek-plug or perforated partition 45. Under the above con struction the downward and upward movements of the diaphragm and weight will, as in my prior patents, cflect the opening and the closure of the regulating and cut'off valve, in accordance with and proportionately to variations of pressure in the fluid entering the pressure-chamber 2, and upon the cessation of fluid-supply, or the diminution thereof be low the degree sufficient to support combustion at the burners, the movement of the stem 36 to the right, effected by the gravity of the weight 20, will bring the left-hand disk of the valve 34 to its seat and thereby cut off the supply of fiuid.

In order to provide for the regulation of pressure for both a maximum and a minimum average, a supplemental weight, 47, is fixed upon the lower end ofa stem, 48, fitting freely in a guide bushing or socket, 49, in the cap or cover 17 of the pressure-chamber in line axially with the stem 29 of the diaphragm, the supplemental weight47 having acentral recess or chamber, 50, the top of which is adapted to bear on the head 41 of the stem 29. The downward traverse of the supplemental weight is limited to desired degree by a head or stop, 51, on the upper end oi'the stem 48, which head abuts against the top of the guide-opening of the socket 49, through which the stem 48 passes.

In regulating supply of average maximum pressure the flexible diaphragm 15 is raised to such level that the stem 29 is'subjeet to the action of the gravity of both the main and the supplemental weights, as opposed to the upward pressure of fluid upon the diaphragm, and in the event of such deficiency or shortage of supply as to effect a material reduction of pressure the downward pressure of the sup plemental weight is relieved as soon as the diaphragm moves downward for a suflicient distance to permit the head or stop 51 of the stem of the supplemental weight to come to a bearing upon the top of its guide socket. The delivery-pressure being then materially reduced to, say, onehalf, the diaphragm continues to effect regulation under the action of the main weight only, for a minimum average pressure, which it maintains until such further reduction of supply-pressure as causes it by its corresponding downward movement to effect the closure of the regulating and cutlief of excess of pressure in said chamber is provided for by a series of openings, 38, in the diaphragm, which register with corresponding passages, 39, in the main weight 20, and are normally closed to the fluid in the chamber 2 by the plate 30. Said devices accord substantially with those illustrated for similar purposes in Letters Patent No. 324,905 aforesaid, and, not constituting part of my present invention,need not be at length-described.

I claim herein as my invention- 1. The combination of a pressure-chamber having supply and delivery passages on its opposite sides, a valve-casing communicating at one end with the supply-passage and at the other with a flnidsupply pipe, a double-beat regulating and cut off valve controlling an opening in a transverse partition in the valvecasing, and a weighted movable abutment w orki n g in the pressurechamber above its supply and discharge passages and coupled to the stem of the regulating and cut-ofl' Valve, these members being combined for joint operation to enable the pressure-chamber to be employed as part of the line of the traverse of fluid from the supply to the delivery pipes, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of a pressure-chamber having supply and delivery passages on its opposite sides, avalve-casing connected at one end to the su pply-passage, and adapted to communicate at the other with afluid-supply pipe,

a perforated delivery checlcplug extending across the valve-casing at or near its end next the pressure-chamber, a double-beat regulating and cutoff valve controlling an opening in a transverse partition in the valve-casing and fixed upon a stem passing freely through the delivery check-plug, and aweighted movable abutment working in the pressure-chamber above its supply and discharge passages and coupled to the stem of the regulating and cut-off valve, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of a pressure-chamber having supply'and delivery passages on its opposite sides, avalve-casing connected at one end to thesupply-passage, and adapted to communicate at the other withafiuidsupply pipe, a perforated delivery check plug or partition extending across the valve-casing at or near its end next the pressure-chamber, a doublebeat regulating and cut-off valve controlling an opening in a transverse partition in the valve-casing and fixed upon a stem passing freely through the delivery check plu a weighted movable abutment working in the pressure-chamber and coupled to the stem of the valve, a meter-supply nozzle having a passage of determined fractional area relatively to the perforations of the delivery check-plug, which leads out of the valve-casing on the supply side of said plug, and a meter-delivery nozzle communicating with the delivery-passage of the pressure-chamber, substantially as set forth.

4. In a pressure'regulating apparatus, the combination of a regulatingvalve, a weighted diaphragm coupled to said valve, and a supplemental weight disconnected from said diaphragm and adapted to exert pressure there on during only a portion of its entire traverse, substantially as set forth.

5. In a pressure-regulator and cutoff, the combination of a regulating and cutoff valve governing the admission of fluid to a pressurechamber, a movable abutment working in said chamber and coupled to the stem of said valve, a weight connected to, and continuously exerting its gravity upon said abutment, a supplemental weight adapted to bear upon said abutment duringaportion of its range of traverse, and a fixed hearing which sustains the supplemental weight and relieves the movable abutment from the pressurethereof duringthe remainder of the traverse of the abutment, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination of a pressurechamber, a regulating and cut-off valve working in a casing communicating with said chamber and governing the admission of fluid thereto, a movable abutment working in the pressurechamber and coupled to the stem of the regulating and cut-off valve, a main weight connected to said abutment,a supplemental weight fixed upon a stem working in a guide in the pressure chamber above the movable abutment, a head or stop secured to said stem,and a fixed bearing against which said stop abuts to limit the'downwardtraverse of the supplemental weight, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

GEO. WESTINGHOUSE, JR.

Vitnesses:

J. SNowDnn BELL, R. H. 'WHITTLEsEY. 

